Andy's Engagement
by FonzFan82
Summary: Andy surprises Helen by proposing to her. What will her answer be? Would the town of Mayberry find out and start the gossip about the two of them?


After breakfast one cool Wednesday morning, I waited in the kitchen while I drive my sixteen – year – old son, Opie to school. "I'll see you later, Aunt Bee."

"All right, Andy. I might not be here at the house later this afternoon. Us ladies are meeting at Clara's for a couple of hours and I will be back in time to start supper."

"What are we having tonight, Aunt Bee?"

"Chicken and dumplings. I'll come up with something."

We recently refurnished the house after the past several years Opie and I are living in. It now looks better since we redecorated. Now the kitchen is the only part of the house we kept the same. My bedroom, which was on the second floor now looked with fresh white paint, did a little arranging, new bed. My bedspread now is black and white with some green in the background for a picture of some flowers. Aunt Bee chose that and I did not but I liked the looks of it so we went ahead and bought it.

Opie's bedroom now held a new desk, bed, dressing drawer, and his room has the same painting is fresher after all these years. The desks we have in the house are wood. Opie's new bed got a bit bigger than the one he had before so we upgraded his bedroom from small to medium since he is in high school now.

We all even bought new clothes for our wardrobe. When I left the house with Opie this morning, I was wearing my sheriff's uniform, which was light brown with the sheriff's badge added to it. I am sheriff to a small town of North Carolina named Mayberry.

We are a friendly small town. I have a deputy (two now since the mayor told me one day that I should have more.) The deputy I have had for years, Barney Fife, is the kind of cop to screw things up, such as, he would arrest people for jaywalking and I let them go.

I am a bit off the subject. I forgot to describe Aunt Bee's room for you. Hers is no longer white on the wall. She wanted a different color than it had since she moved in with Opie and me. Her background wall now is tan with purple. The new colors are on different walls. She even got a new bed for herself since our mattresses have gotten out of use, also got a new dresser drawer that matched her bedroom (tan) for the dresser drawer. She thought it be a good idea the dresser drawers would match.

She also wanted her new bed to match so we got it. Her room does not have a desk so we decided to leave her room as is. We got a new desk for my office. Barney did help us furnish the house but he did not go shopping with us for new beds, desks, dresser drawers, paint, etc. He helped Opie and I pick the colors for our rooms. Barney thought my room would look the same as it did before. He thought I should have more taste with colors but it is not really my thing but I let him help. If you ask me, I thought Barney did a fine job on helping us. I even told him so.

"You ready, Op?"

"I am, Pa."

"Bye, Aunt Bee."

"Bye, Opie."

As we drove in the car on the way to the high school, I asked, "Football practice today, Op?"

"Yes, Pa." Opie had won the quarterback position at the high school and his girlfriend, Cassie, is a cheerleader. Opie is a junior this year at Mayberry High. He is a good student and some subjects he is not good at very well but at least he tries. Aunt Bee and I both really like Cassie.

After watching Opie go inside the high school safely, I drove to the sheriff's office. I found Barney Fife already inside the office when I walked in.

"Morning, Ange," Barney greeted me as he took a seat at the desk.

"Morning, Barn."

I heard Barney humming.

"Why are you in such a good mood?" I could guess the tune.

"Barney, will you stop humming that song? Helen and I still haven't thought of a date yet."

"You haven't married anybody else since your wife died, and Opie is on his way to college and pretty soon Aunt Bee won't be around longer to cook for you. Look at me. I already have a wedding ring and have children."

What Barney said is true. He had Thelma Lou have two children named after him but it was his idea to use the names for their son and daughter. True, some of the same names are for both boys and girls. He and Thelma Lou are married seven years now and it took them a while after their long relationship.

It did take them a while to decide if they wanted to be with each other. In addition, it worked for them. My girlfriend, Helen Crump agreed Barney and Thelma Lou would make the best-married couple for one another.

"Helen and I have a date for tonight."

"And do what?"

"Talk. We haven't done it recently so we thought tonight is a good night to get caught up."

Phone calls and people coming in to complain spent the rest of the morning. Barney and I spent lunchtime in the sheriff's office. Later that afternoon the mail arrived. One of the complaints was one of the townspeople called in because he heard some music disturbing him and his neighbors.

He lived in an apartment building where Barney used to live in and when Barney and I got to the apartment, we found out one of the neighbors playing guitar and singing to old country music. Therefore, I gave the neighbors a citation for disturbing the peace for people living in the apartment. The man even promised he would not do it again. My newest deputy stayed in the office to take calls while Barney and I went to the apartment.

Barney and I drove home together with Barney driving me at my house.

"What are Opie's plans today?"

"Football practice."

"Tell Thelma Lou hello."

"I will," Barney told me and drove off.

I could smell chicken cooking from the kitchen. "I'm home!"

"Hi, Andy."

"Sounds delicious, Aunt Bee."

"Thank you, Andy."

"Aunt Bee, may I show you something?"

"What is it?"

I looked around to make sure Opie was home. He was not. I sighed. The town of Mayberry, North Carolina always had known Barney Fife to spread word out when I tell him not to. Not too long ago Barney and I worked on a cold case about a deputy sheriff from Milwaukee who was murdered.

I told Barney not to tell anyone. Before I knew it, Barney told our town drunk, Otis Campbell. I gave Barney a look. Then Goober Pyle, our Mayberry mechanic came into the sheriff's office he and Otis had a whispered conversation about what Barney told Otis.

Aunt Bee watched as she put the timer on. I took an engagement ring box out from my shirt pocket. "What is that?"

"It's for Helen. I am going to ask her to marry me. I want you to do me a favor."

"What's the favor?" Aunt Bee squealed in happiness as I showed her a white diamond ring.

"I don't want Barney to know because he'll spread around town."

"I won't tell him, Andy. That is a beautiful ring. I know Helen will love it."

I saw how big my aunt's eyes got when she saw the diamond ring. They looked like her eyes would pop out. "Andy, this is the best news I have heard."

"What's the best news?" Opie watched Aunt Bee look in my direction.

"Let me guess. Does it have something to do with the courthouse?"

I said, "No, Op. It's something else I don't want Barney to find out."

"What is it then?"

"Show him," Aunt Bee squealed.

I showed Opie the tiny engagement ring box I was going to give Helen that night. "What is in the box?" I opened the box and could tell Opie liked the diamond ring.

"Who is it for?"

"Helen. This is why I do not want Barney to find out. If he does, the town will know," I told him.

"That's right. I promise, Pa. When did you get this?"

"Not too long ago. Helen don't know about it yet so I thought I'd surprise her tonight."

"That's a good idea."

The next day Aunt Bee got on the phone. She is so happy for me and had to call Clara. She decided to call Clara after Opie and I left the house for the day. They both talked about my engagement ring looked like. She even said to Clara not tell me. Clara promised. It worked well Clara did not spread out word about my and Helen being engaged.

The minute we left the house, Aunt Bee headed straight to the phone. I did not want word to spread around she could not keep this longer.

At the sheriff's office, Barney looked into my eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked as we heard the office door open.

It caught our attention. It was the newest officer on the force, red – head Karen McCarey. Karen worked on different police forces now she works here in Mayberry. People seem to like and respect her. She is an adoptive mother to two boys, divorced and somewhere in her thirties. "Morning, guys."

"Morning," we returned.

Karen saw the look Barney had on his face. "I've never seen that look before."

"It's a look he gave me, Karen."

"I still don't get it," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Andy, I know something you're not telling me," Barney said, ignoring Karen.

"I ain't hiding anything, Barney."

"I know you are, Ange, and whatever it is I am going to get to be bottom of it."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. It is none of our business. Can't you leave Sheriff Taylor alone?" Karen asked.

I could tell Karen had a point. "Thank you," I told her.

Karen tapped Barney on the shoulder. "Let's do patrol. The two of us."

Barney thought about it. "Okay. Good idea. It hasn't been done yet today."

"You two go do that. I'll stay here."

"All right, Ange."

After they left, I sighed in relief.

I took another look at the engagement ring I was to give Helen later tonight. She was going to like it. After putting the tiny box back in my uniform, that it was a good thing Barney did not find out about me buying the ring and proposing to Helen. Helen once was Opie's teacher a long time ago. Helen and I met the day Barney thought I needed a girl.

I am to be at Helen's tonight. I also had her telling me we were going to have take – out for dinner tonight. I told her I would not mind paying and she agreed to it. The workday passed with phone calls and complaints. Like me, Helen is not much of a cook.

Six o'clock now arrived.

After walking inside Helen's house after she closed the door I asked, "Are we ready to talk now?"

"I would say we are. Delivery won't be ready for another fifteen minutes or so."

"Right. Where should we sit? The couch?"

"What do you want to talk about?" Helen asked.

"Us."

"You do know you and I seen each other for some time now, right?"

"Yes. What are you getting at, Andy?" Helen watched as I reached for my shirt pocket.

I cleared my throat, pulled the engagement ring box in front of her and said, "I love you, Helen. Will you marry me?"

I saw her eyes light up as she answered, "Yes, Andy Taylor, I will marry you."

Then I put the diamond ring on her finger. "That's beautiful, Andy."

"I knew you'd like it."

"Like it? I love it. I have to show it to Thelma Lou!"

"As long Barney doesn't find out. He almost did this morning and my newest deputy told him it's none of his business."

"Glad she stopped him in time or word be spread all over town by now."

"I'm thankful for Karen because she can stop Barney."

"I'll ask Thelma Lou not to tell."

"Thank you."

Then the delivery boy came. I paid. When he left, Helen and I sat to dinner. The boy who came to bring our supper looked like a late teen. I did not recognize him from Mayberry High. I would ask Opie about him. My guess he probably is new in Mayberry. Helen and I enjoyed each other's company and on my way out, Helen and I kissed. I thanked her for inviting me over for supper and she walked me to the patrol car. She watched as I drove away.


End file.
